Container for storing and transporting pourable materials



Feb. 14, 1961 MUHLHQFF 2,971,686

CONTAINER FOR STORING AND TRANSPORTING POURABLE MATERIALS Filed NOV. 22,1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 f I v CONTAINER FOR STORING AND TRANSFORTINGPOURABLE MATERIALS Filed Nov. 22, 1957 Feb. 14, 1961 F. MUHLHOFF 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I/VVE/VTOR Feb. 14, 1961 v F. MUHLHOFF 2,971,686

CONTAINER FOR STORING AND TRANSPORTING FOURABLE MATERIALS Filed Nov. 22,1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 '//////////////I/47III United States Patent(ZONTAINER FOR STORING AND TRANSPORT- ING POURABLE MATERIALS FriedrichMiihlholf, Koln-Bickendorf, Germany, assignor to MauserKommandit-Gesellschaft, Koln-Ehrenfeld, Germany Filed Nov. 22, 1957,Ser. No. 698,308 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 11, 1957 2Claims. (Cl. 229-7) The invention relates to a combination containerstructure for storing and transporting liquids or other pourablematerials, wherein an .inner container, made preferably of thin-walledsynthetic material, is. inserted into and surrounded by an outercontainer, generally, but not exclusively, made of paperboard. i

Double-walled containers are well known in which the inner walls aremade ofplastic or plastic composition and the outer walls are made ofanother material. These knowncontainers have the disadvantage in that itis impossible to exchange or replace the inner container and further inthat corrosion or deterioration can very easily occur between the innerand outer Walls.

Formation and maintenance of a fluid-tight or air-tight connectionbetween these containers also presents con siderable difiiculties.Furthermore, such known containe'rs often are of round cross sectionwithinherent disadvantages that they inefiiciently utilize the'shippingor storage floor space. Y

It is, thereforefan aim of the present invention to eliminate theaforesaid and other disadvantages heretofore encountered in containersof the aforesaid type for storing and transporting liquids or otherpourable substances, and to provide a sturdy combination container whichis inexpensive to manufacture, which will keep its shape and remainstightly closed even during rough handling.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means ensuringprotectionof a container assembly from tampering with the pouring orfilling opening thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide meansaffording the construction of a weather-tight and durable containerwhich can be easily and readily manipulated.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means conduciveto stacking or storage of such containers in superposedor'juxta-positionl with a minimum of unutilized floor space.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide meansredounding ,to a combination inner and outer container structure whichreduces to a minimum any contact-corrosion between the walls thereof.

Still another object of the present invention 'is to provide meansensuring sufficient displacement or. play between an inner and outercontainer whilemaintaining substantially yieldable retention of theinner container relative to the outer container.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide meanspermitting fillingland emptying of an inner container without removingthe same from its protective outer container.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide meansconducive to an assembly of containers in such a manner that greatsavings in space during storage or transportation of such containerswill be afforded, while the inner container may be filled to maximumcapacity. r r 7 Yet another object of the present invention is toprovide means contributing to an elficacious reinforcement 2,971,686Patented Feb. 14, 1961 and protection of the bottom or base of an outercontainer from any possible deleterious ambient operational conditions,such as moisture, corrosive liquids, etc.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide meansensuring a simple, inexpensive fluid-tight junction between an inner andouter container for storing or transporting liquids, semi-liquids or thelike.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide meansaffording easy insertion of an inner container into an outer protectivecontainer, its securement in position therein and prevention oftampering with its discharge outlet or filling opening.

Yet a further object of the invention resides in the provision of meansstriving for an assembly of receptacles or containers which has an innercontainer of flexible and expandable material for receiving to utmostcapacity liquid or like fluid substances either before or after saidinner container has been inserted in or coupled with an outer container,the latter being preferably made of a material which withstands to ahigh degree pressures, stresses and other rough conditions duringstorage or handling, is sufi'iciently stable and rigid and may carry onits outer surface any advertising or directions of use for the saidsubstance enclosed in said inner container, which inner container due toits expansibility will abut or generally conform to the inner wallsurface of said outer container.

These and other objects of the invention will become further apparentfrom the following detailed description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings, showing preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings: v

Fig. l is aperspective view of a closed container according to theinventiontwith the bottom shown partially broken away;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a double container according to theinvention with the cover lid and jacket flap shown partially open inorder to illustrate the inner container and the filling and pouringopenings of same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross section of the upper portion ofthe container taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2, with flaps closed andshowing the rim and cover adjacent the spout;

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of-the invention and is afragmentary vertical cross section through the upper portion of acontainer structure according to the invention;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary schematic showings of a container in topplan view and in elevation, respectively, according to the invention,provided with an intermediate spacing layer between the walls of theinner and outer containers;

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary cross sections of two separate embodimentsof the container structure provided with a device for facilitatingstacking and for supporting the bottom of the container structure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is disclosed inFig. 1 a combination container structure having an outer jacket 1, andhaving a substantially quadrangular or other suitable cross section.Receivable within the jacket or outer container 1 is an inner container2 having a filing opening 3 and a pouring opening or spout 4.Preferably, but not essentially, the outer container 1 may be made of aninexpensive material such as paperboard, and has two or more laterallyarranged handles 5 for carrying same. A cover 6 provided with a rim 7,may be connected along a portion of said rim 7 to the outer jacket ofcontainer 1 by stitching, stapling, cementing'gluing, or other wellknown joining or fastening means after the inner-container 2 has beeninserted into position within the outer container. A flap or covering 8is positioned and made part of the cover or lid 6 so as to overlie boththe filling opening 3 and pouring spout 4. A hinge or sharply bent fold9 is formed in the lid 6 so as to permit swinging or moving of flap 3relative to the. top of the inner container, The front wallgof theoutercontainer 1 is provided with ajacket flap 10, which, when open,uncovers the spout 4 of the inner container.

The hinged cover part or flap 8 and jacket flap 10 may be mutuallysecured and sealed in their closed positions by means of a closing orsealing wire, cord or like element 11. To this end, the upper rim of theouter jacket 1, the rim 7 of lid 6, and the rim of the flap 8 are allprovided with matching or registering holes or openings 11a throughwhich said sealing element .11 is threaded. A fusible or fracturableseal 11b of known structure may be used to join and secure the ends ofelement 11, thus discouraging or preventing tampering with the contentsof the inner container by unauthorized persons. -Flap 10 is providedwith a hinge or sharply bent fo'd 12 which permits said flap to be swungor tipped forwardly beyond the normal confines of container 1 to uncoverthe pouring spout 4 for discharge or pouring of the contents of theinner container 2. As may be seenfrom the partial cross section at thelower p0rtion of Fig. 1, the joint between the outer wall of container 1and the bottom 13 of the outer container is strengthened and stabilizedby a reinforcement strap or rim 14. The outer container 1 is furtherprovided, near its bottom 13 with discharge holes or drainageopenings15, which serve to remove any condensation water or other deposits whichmay form or beretained in the space between the walls of the inner andouter .containers.

As may be seen in Fig. 3, the cover or lid 6 (which may include flap 8)is preferably positioned close to the, top of inner container 2 so as tocloselyoverlie filling opening 3 thereby firmly securing in position anyclosing cap or plug (not shown in Fig. 3) seated in said opening.

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which thefilling opening and emptying spout 16 is formed to project above themain body of container 2 and through the level portion of cover or lid6. Clap 17, forming a portion of the lid, serves to enclose theprojecting portion of the filling and emptying spout 16, is detachableor removable and is supported by the main or level portion of lid 6.Also indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 is a layer of spacing material 18, whichmay be a resilient or shock-absorbing material, such as corrugatedpaperboard, cardboard, corrugated plastic material, or springy inserts,or rubber or other elastic material, or any other suitable air-permeablemeans between the container walls or bottoms, or both, for retaining theinner container, if desired, in somewhat spaced position in relation tothe outer container so as to allow little play or yieldable retention ofthe inner container relative to the outer container for the reasons setforth below.

It is desirable, for the purpose of most efiicient utilization of space,to keep this space between the inner and outer containers at a minimum.However, especially in the case of larger container structures, whileassembling the inner container with the outer container, there may bedifiiculty in releasing air which may otherwise become trapped betweenthe inner and outer container tainers will be made possible, since theintermediate or spacing layer also compensates for differences ortolerwalls. To overcome this difiiculty the invention provides 55 for anair-permeable spacing material, preferably cor rugated paperboard orcorrugated plastic substance inserted at least between the lateral wallsof the outer and inner container, and also, if desired, between thebottoms of said containers. The intermediate layer 18 also en sures thatthe inner container may be guided during its this rnanner aclose'proxirnity of the walls of the two conances occurring in thedimensions or shaped the inner and outer containers.

In an example of this invention, where the outer container is made ofsteel or other metal, such intermediate layer 18, for example, may becorrugated paperboard, which has a further function and advantage inpreventing contactor surface-corrosion or other deterioration heretoforeexperienced withjmetal containers. i

As best illustrated in Fig. 5, it is advisable to arrange theintermediate layer 22 between the wall-21 of the inner container jacketand wall 20 of the outer jacket in such manner that the aforesaid layer22 extends at the top of the structure to'a shoulder 23 andinwardlyturned projection M et the upper portion of the outer metal wall 20, andthe configuration of the inner jacket wall 21 is formed to closelyfollowthe inner surface contour of said outer wall and to thus provide an openable rim 2111 which will be weatherproof and preventundesirablematerials from abovefrom falling into the. space between the aforesaidinner and outer containers;

According to an example .utilizing the concept of the present invention,a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a combination container isshown'in Fig. 6, which has an intermediate layer 22, for example, ofcorrugated paperboard or other yieldable or corrugated, non-metallicmaterial loosely placed or confined between the inner jacket wall 21 andthe outer jacketwall 20 of the combination container structure. v Forfacilitating stacking as well as. for providing a sturdy base or supportfor the bottom of the novel container structure. there is disclosed inthe Fig. 7 a' fragmentary section of two superposed or stackedcontainers made according to the invention. a I

From the upper container structure having jacket wall 101, an end piece119 of reinforcement ring 114a pro jects beyond a downwardly turned rim1134 of bottom 113 of said upper container. End piece 119 extends alsobeyond upwardly turned rim 107 attached to jacket Wall 101a, wherebycontainers 101 and 101a may be brought into nesting engagement with eachother. Rim 107 forms part of a cover 106 of the lower container whoseouter jacket 101a is partly indicated. The projecting end' piece orportion 119 of reinforcement ring 114a assumes preferably a tapered orslightly frustro-conical shape, so as to' facilitate centric mounting ofthe aforesaid container one upon another.

If, according to the present invention, the outer jacket wall 1 or 101is made of paperboard or' like non-metallic layer 118 of corrugatedpaper or air-permeable'm'a'terial,

similar in structure and function to layer 18, (Figs., 3 and 4) as abovedescribed, may be located betweenwalls 101 and 102.

Another example for facilitating the stacking ofthe combinationcontainers is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein the bottom or base 113 ofdownwardly turned rim 113a projects below the confines of jacket wall101 of an upper container structure, while jacket wall 101a of a lowercontainer structure is provided with a prolongation piece which projectsbeyond rim 107 of the upwardly turned top or cover 106 of the lowercontainer structure. This arrangement thus produces a simple centeredengagement or nesting of adjacent containers, irrespective of whatmaterial the jacket walls 101 or 101d, or the bottoms 113 or covers 106,are made. In addition to the examples illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, theinverse relationship may alternatively be employed, with projectionsprovided on the lower container structure instead of on thebottom of theupper container, as shown.

Although the container structure of the ypresentin' vention may be ofany suitable shape, polygonal or round as illustrated in Fig. 6, it ispreferably constructed in a substantially quadrangular or rectangularshape so as to greatly economize storage and shipping space when anumber of such containers are placed adjacent one another. The innercontainer is preferably made of synthetic, semi-flexible material suchas, for example, polyethylene or like plastic, and the outer containeris preferably made of inexpensive material such as, for example,paperboard or pasteboard, although the outer container may also be madeof thin-walled steel, sheet metal or other metal or material.

The projection of rim 119 (Fig. 7), or 113a (Fig. 8) at the bottom ofthe container structure provides means for protecting the containerstructure when placed on said rim, against the effects of any ambientmoisture, liquids, or any other possible deleterious ambient conditions.

It can thus be seen, that there has been provided according to theinvention a double-walled container structure for storing andtransporting pourable substances, which structure includes an outercontainer having outer jacket forming walls and a bottom or base, aninner container having a top and receivable within said outer container,said inner container being defined by walls and provided with a fillingopening and pouring spout, a top cover for said outer containerinsertable substantially over the top of said inner container and incontact with said jacket walls of said outer container, said top coverbeing provided with an upstanding rim, at least a portion of which isjoined to said jacket forming walls, cap means forming a portion of saidtop cover for overlying said fill ing opening, said outer jacket Wallsbeing provided with means for draining a condensate collected betweensaid inner and outer containers, spacing material positionedintermediate the walls of said outer and inner containers, andreinforcing means connected with and for facilitating stacking onedouble-walled container in superposed position above another containertherebelow, said reinforcing means including rim means projecting beyondsaid bottom or base of said one double-walled container and for nestingengagement with an adjacent portion of said other container therebelow.

In some instances the covering lid 6 may be so shaped at its hingedportion or flap 8 that it will normally overlie and close up the fillingopening 3 as well as the pouring spout or opening 4.

Obviously, various changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it isintended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by theannexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A double-walled container assembly comprising an outer containerhaving outer jacket walls and a base, an inner container provided with afilling opening and pouring spout, said inner container being disposedWithin said outer container and spaced from said outer. jacket walls,said inner container having a top and being defined by inner jacketwalls connected to said top, a top cover for said outer containerinsertable substantially on the top of said inner container and incontact with said jacket walls of said outer container, said top coverbeing provided with a rim, at least a portion of said rim being jointedto said outer jacket walls, a portion of said top cover being movableand forming a lid, said lid being pivoted to the rest of said top coverand being adapted to overlie said filling opening, sealing meansattachable to said portion for prevention of tampering with said fillingopening, a hinged spout-closing flap overlying said pouring spout, saidhinged spout-closing flap being pivoted to one of said outer jacketwalls of said outer container contiguous to said spout and operablyarranged on said one of said jacket walls to be fastenable by saidaforementioned sealing means to prevent tampering with said spout, saidsealing means including matching holes in said lid, said flap and insaid outer jacket walls in registering alignment with each other, and afracturable sealing element threaded through said holes.

2. A double-walled container assembly according to claim 1, wherein saidouter jacket walls are provided with discharge means for draining acondensate collected between said inner and outer containers, spacingmaterial positioned intermediate the walls of said outer and innercontainers, and reinforcing means connected with the base of said outercontainer for stacking the same in superposed position on anothercontainer, said reinforcing means including rim means projecting beyondsaid base of said outer container, thereby facilitating nesting with arim of the top cover of said other container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS919,838

